1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooling system capable efficiently cooling equipment arranged in a highly dense manner, that is modular in design, is flexible in air flow configuration, has integrated cooling components and that can be selectively used in mobile and/or stationary environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cooling of electronic equipment is a major concern for proper operation of the equipment. No matter the equipment type (servers, telecommunication, medical imaging devices, acoustic components, circuits and/or otherwise), heat dissipation is a primary design and operational concern. Fortunately, many solutions are available when the equipment is used in a stand-alone environment. One solution is to rely on the ambient air to cool the equipment. Internal fans on board the equipment may provide additional convective cooling in this endeavor in existing systems.
However, the challenges of keeping the equipment within preferred operational temperatures increases along with the density requirements of the electronic system equipment. These challenges can relate to operating the equipment at a consistent and low temperature in order to maximize equipment life and reliability.
In one particular situation, there is a desire to have many servers confined within a single space. Such a space is typically called a server room on a small scale and a data center on a larger scale. There is a need to have modular server rooms and data centers that can be expanded as the user's requirements grow. There is also a need to have a server room or data center that can be transported from one location to another (from simply across a facility to all the way across international boundaries).
One commercially available existing system utilizes segregated in-row side by side components. While this system may be acceptable for its intended purposes, several improvements may be made.
For example, the density of the existing system can be improved.
Further, the existing system appears to operate by simply placing the components adjacent to each other. No infrastructure appears to be provided for securing the components in a desired position relative each other, either vertically, laterally or otherwise.
Related, no infrastructure appears to be provided in the existing system for transporting an assembled system from one location to another, or using the assembly in either a stationary or mobile environment.
Still further, the existing system does not structurally support and safeguard the HVAC assembly.
Still further yet, the existing system is neither laterally nor vertically modular, and does not contain a load bearing structural skeleton.
Still further yet, no infrastructure appears to be provided in the existing system for selectively drawing fresh external air when doing so will result in operational efficiencies compared to cooling recirculated air.
Thus, there exists a need for a high density modular cooling system and methods of operation thereof that solves these and other problems.